1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an information code and an information code reader.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, information codes, such as barcodes or QR Codes®, have been used for a variety of applications, and accordingly the uses thereof have diversified. In particular, since there is an increasing demand for the improved security of information codes currently, a technology is required that allows information codes to be read only when specific conditions are met. An example of a technology in which security functionality has been added to information codes is shown in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-115105.
In the technology of the patent application, a frame is added to the margins of the location determination marks (location detection regions) of a QR (Quick Response) code, which makes the determination of the region of the QR code impossible. In greater detail, the frame is printed on an adhesive seal that can be removed from a base member on which the QR code has been printed, and the adhesive seal including the frame is attached to the margins, so that the presence of an object similar to the QR code can be recognized from the outside and the reading of the QR code is rendered impossible. When the adhesive seal is removed from the information code, the QR code becomes legible.
However, if the technology of that patent application is adopted to add security functionality, the following problem occurs. That is, when the adhesive seal is removed from the information code, the information code becomes a common type of information code from which information can be easily read. For this reason, the technology is problematic in that reading of the code cannot be reliably restricted to only a specific user or users.